Java

About this board game

Java is a strategic board game for 2–4 players, with play lasting about 120 minutes. Released in 2000, it casts each player as a Javanese ruler competing to develop the fertile, resource-rich central region of the island.

Central Java offers enormous potential, but its undeveloped lands are coveted by the rulers of the surrounding regions. Players seek to bring their culture and control to this area by shaping its development and establishing their influence across the region.

Development begins with the land itself. Players irrigate fields and cultivate new rice fields, then build villages and transform villages into cities. They also construct palaces, creating opportunities to expand their influence and gain fame as the region develops.

• Develop the undeveloped area of central Java
• Build irrigation systems and cultivate rice fields
• Construct villages, cities, and palaces
• Arrange palace festivals to earn fame points

Fame points are awarded for several achievements, including building and enlarging palaces, creating irrigation systems, and arranging palace festivals. Every development contributes to the larger contest for dominance, as each ruler strives to become the leading force in the growth of central Java.

After the final scoring, the player with the most fame points wins. With its focus on regional development, cultural influence, and the transformation of land into thriving settlements, Java presents a substantial contest for players seeking control over a promising new area.

Java is the second game in the Mask Trilogy.